The present invention relates generally to a method of solar energy collection and conversion. More particularly, the present invention relates to an economical method for obtaining energy in a useful form, e.g., heat or electric power from solar pond collectors.
Many methods and devices have been proposed whereby solar energy is utilized or converted to electricity. The greatest emphasis in recent years has been on devices which employ mirrors for focusing and reflecting solar energy to heat vapor generating equipment and thereafter convert solar energy to electricity. Additionally, prior devices have utilized photoelectric converters to obtain electricity from solar energy directly. However, the prior devices are expensive, inefficient and only capable of being built in relatively small sizes. They therefore have had application only in special situations such as where conventional sources of power are unavailable, i.e., remote areas or outer space. Other methods of converting solar energy to useful work have included the use of solar heaters, solar boilers for hot water heaters, etc. However, all of the foregoing methods and devices tend to be expensive, inefficient or very limited in their application owing to their high cost and limited size of the collector system.